Running Fast
by PrettyFacesWithBrokenEyes
Summary: Tori can count on her friends. But not much else besides trouble with the Socs, a vicious gang of rich kids whose idea of a good time is beating up "greasers" like Tori and her pals. At least she knows what to expect - until the night someone takes it too far. Completely AU, but in-character. Based on the book/movie "The Outsiders." Please read & review!
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

I sat on my front porch sharpening a stick with my brand new switchblade. Startled by a rock hitting the dingy porch column beside me, I swore and looked up to see Beckett Oliver, or "Switch" which he was nicknamed for his talent with a blade. With him was Jade West, the scariest chick around, spinning a pair of scissors on her index finger.

"Hey, Vega," Switch greeted. "Whatcha doing?"

"Sharpening," I stated simply.

"Where's your family? They back yet?"

"I don't think they're coming back, Switch. It's been two months."

"Figures," Jade smirked, pulling out a small leather tote bag. "Look what I got." My jaw practically dropped at the sight of cash in her hand. A whole wad of it there was.

"Where the _hell_ did you get that kind of money?" I asked, completely dumfounded.

"Mugged some ugly bastard over on 7th."

"Damn, Jade," I said shaking my head. "You're gonna get yourself in the slammer again, you know that?"

"Oh, please, Vega. You're too big of a wuss to go farther than shoplifting and pickpocketing," she pointed out. She was right. There's no way I could bring myself to break the law by mugging someone or holding some gas station up. Even though my parents weren't around to punish me if I got caught, I just couldn't.

"Whatever," I held my hands up defensively and went back to my work.

"You seen 'Dre around lately?" Switch asked. "I need to talk to him."

"He was hanging out here yesterday along with Cat."

"Is Cat at her place?" Jade cut in, and I nodded promptly. "Well, Imma go get her. God knows her mother's screamin' at her 'bout this time."

"Good luck if she's crying," Switch commented, gaining a nod from the raven-haired girl as she turned on her heel to leave. He laid his eyes back on me. "So how are things? You know, living on your own and all."

"I'm fine," I answered. "They always got in the way, anyways. It's kinda nice living by myself."

"Yeah, I get that, but come on," he said, slowly sitting down on the steps beside me. "It can't be easy all alone. I mean, you're a gir-"

"Oh, would you stop it, Switch?" I interrupted. "So what if I'm a girl? Jade is too, and she's always walking on the edge."

"Jade's different, Tor. She's been through a lot more."

"Well, I can take care of myself, thank you very much."

"I know you can," he admitted. "Sometimes I worry about you, though."

"Just me, huh?" I raised an eyebrow.

"No. I worry about everyone at one point or another. I'm the oldest in our group; I gotta make sure everyone's okay, taken care of," Switch explained softly.

"I know," I sighed. "You're right. I'm sorry. I just…"

"You're a good kid, Vega," he said, not letting me finish the sentence I didn't even know how to finish. "I know you can take care of yourself mighty fine. Just stay out of trouble. Don't want you ending up like Jade."

"Jade's alright."

"Yeah, she finds her way around, but she's unpredictable... could end up in a cell at anytime. And I don't wanna see you in one. Understood?"

"Yes, _Dad_," I joked, earning a chuckle from my close friend. He was a good guy. Yeah, he had trouble when he was around my age. But he was an adult now, twenty years old, and he held down a job fixing roofs and such. He kept all of us in line, 'cause he was the oldest. Without him, I don't know where any of us would've been.

**A/N: ****I've been thinking about this idea for quite some time now. It's a little out there, but I just couldn't keep myself from at least giving this a shot. There won't be any romantic ships; instead, the characters will be like a family, just like in The Outsiders. If you haven't read that book, I highly recommend it. You'll be able to enjoy this story more if you have. So, yeah. Please review. **

**Also, I don't think there are any fans of Victorious who don't know what tonight is. I'm gonna cry for sure. I just wish there could be an episode to wrap it all up. Unfortunately, thanks to Nickelodeon, we won't get that. But I guess all good things have to come to an end, even if the end comes too early.  
**

**So a big thanks to Dan Schneider, Victoria Justice, Leon Thomas III, Avan Jogia, Elizabeth Gillies, Ariana Grande, Matt Bennett, Daniella Monet, Mikey Reid, and all the rest of the amazing cast, crew, and writers of this amazing show. It really is a legacy that won't be forgotten by the fans and me. I never thought I could fall in love with a sitcom, but I did, and now I have to say goodbye to it. Here's to three years of laughter, smiles, and great times. Victorious was victorious in making me happy. :)  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Life was pretty simple being in our gang. It was nice for the most part. There were five in our group, or gang, or whatever you want to call it. There was me, Tori, second youngest of the group at sixteen, next to Cat. Then there was Switch, and Andre Harris, or 'Dre. He was a year older than me and, unlike Switch, he wasn't always lecturing me about things. He was probably one of the most handsome boys I've met, charming girls right and left, and he was a real sweetheart. He had a job, too, but he still had a lot of growing up to do.

Jade West was probably the most reckless of all of us. She was really smart and all; just didn't care about her future really. Hell, I bet she held up three stores a week and if she got caught she had a big grin on her face when they shoved her in the cruiser. She was seventeen and didn't like me much, but then again she wasn't your typical ray of sunshine towards anyone.

Robbie Shapiro was quite a trick. He was a wise-cracking, smart-assing son of a gun. He had become quite acquainted with the local police. He hadn't been arrested even close to the amount of times Jade had, but the cops didn't forget his smart-alecky ways. He was eighteen, nice to all of us, and almost as protective as Switch when it comes to anyone younger than him.

And then there was Cat Valentine, youngest at age fifteen. She was like a skittish kitten afraid of its own shadow. That was all thanks to her mom, though. Her mom was always hollering at her, even more than Switch hollered at Jade (And he did that a lot). She was really a happy kid, but you didn't see it much unless you could keep her from thinking of all the things her mom said. She was everyone's pet. Even big, bad Jade couldn't ever lash out at the little redhead.

**A/N: Eh. Just introducing and describing the members of the gang. I'm sure you Outsiders fans can tell which characters are which. Also, I haven't yet come up with something to call their group. I don't really want to use "greasers," so can you please review with some ideas? Thanks! Have a great day! :)  
**

**Twitter: (at symbol)lizziehorne13  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

It was hot and sunny, sweat was pouring down our faces, and for some reason we stayed outside in the sun. Robbie, with the help of 'Dre, who worked at the local gas station, was attempting to fix his clunker car. It's old, dented, and extremely dirty, but it was also significantly cheap, and on our side of town, price was always the deal breaker.

"Where the hell is Cat?" Jade questioned, irritated by the grueling weather conditions. "The movie's starting in ten minutes!"

"It's okay, Jade," Robbie said, his voice almost muted by the noises his automobile was making. "I'll drop y'all off there in no time."

"Yeah," the pale girl scoffed. "I'm sure that piece of shit will be all fixed up by then." The curly headed boy scowled at her, then continued his work.

"Relax, Jade," Switch tried, laying a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure she just got held up by her mom."

"That bitch ain't worth nothing," Jade spat. "I swear, if it's the last thing I do, I'm gonna get that kid in_my _custody."

"If the cops don't have custody of you," I joked, earning a glare from Jade.

"Better watch your mouth, kid," she warned.

"I'm only a year younger than you, Jade," I pointed out. "I'm not a kid."

"You act like one, that's for damn sure."

"Shutup!"

"Hey, hey," Switch intervened when Jade went to confront me. "Relax, girls. Maybe we ought to go look for Cat, huh?"

No one had to answer his question, though, because right after we heard it, we also heard the familiar voice of Cat. But it wasn't talking; it was screaming. The shrill yelps pierced our ears, turned our heads, and sent Jade and the boys running towards the source. I couldn't even move; fear had stricken my body. I didn't want to know what was happening.

I heard yelling and cries of pain from both males and females. I just stood there, praying that they were from the opposing side. In no time, Switch, Robbie, and 'Dre were stumbling back to my yard.

"Where's Jade?" I asked impatiently.

"Right here," I heard her exhausted voice, followed by her figure. Attached to her side was Cat, who was in the worst physical state I had ever seen her in, and she had her arm wrapped protectively around the redhead.

"Cat?" I called curiously. Jade immediately shushed me as she untangled herself from Cat's grip and lifted the small girl up, setting her down on the hood of Robbie's car. "What happened?" I murmured to 'Dre.

"Socs jumped her," he replied sharply. "We tried to get 'em, but… but they got away." Robbie had his head in his hands as he sat on the porch step, Switch was pacing back and forth, a furious look on his face, and Jade was busy soothing Cat as the little girl bawled her eyes out.

"Shh, it's over now," she whispered. "You ain't gotta be scared no more. They're gone."

"J-J-Jadey," Cat sobbed. We all felt helpless watching her cry.

"They hurt you?" Switch inquired hastily. She nodded, her gaze glued to the ground. Switch stepped closer, gently gripping her chin. He examined her dirty face, finding several scratches and bruises, but that was it. "Was it the boys who did that? Or the girls?"

"G-girls," she responded, her voice barely audible as she sniffled. It was the expected answer. As brutal as the Socs are, they would never have even thought of fighting boys against girls. Neither would we, though we didn't jump them too often anyway. Even Jade wouldn't have fought a guy if it was acceptable. But boy, did she scrape female Socs up. "Don't let 'em do it again, Jadey!" Cat cried, breaking down again. "Don't let 'em hurt me!"

"Shh, shh," the raven-haired girl soothed and rubbed Cat's shoulder repeatedly. "Imma get 'em back, Cat. They're gonna pay for this. I promise."

**A/N: Oh, snap! Lmao. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Just forget about a name for the gang. If I come to a point where I need to mention it, I'll probably just go with "greasers" anyway, 'cause I'm sticking with the term "Soc," which is short for the Socials (rich kids from the other side of town). Please review with your honest opinion, and thanks for the support! :) **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Nearly a week since Cat was jumped by the Socs, she was still recovering from it. If she was paranoid before, she was a mess after that incident. She absolutely wouldn't go anywhere alone from then on and insisted that someone always escort her. But she didn't have to beg, that's for sure, because none of us wanted her to be alone, either.

Luckily, though, things were getting back to normal.

"Aye, Jade, you wanna go to the drive-in tonight?" Robbie asked, puffing smoke from his fresh cigarette.

"Can I come?" I begged hopefully.

"No kids allowed," he said strictly. "How 'bout it, West?"

"Nah, I'm gonna go hunt some action," the pale girl announced. "Kids are allowed. Wanna come, Vega?"

"Uh, I don't know, Jade," I said uneasily. "I can't get in trouble with the cops, or…"

"Relax, I just wanna go have some fun," she assured. "I didn't say nothing about the boys in blue."

"Can I come, Jadey?" Cat asked shyly.

"Sure, kiddo," Jade smiled, ruffling the redhead's hair.

"Fine, I'll come," I sighed. There was no way Cat was gonna go and I wasn't. I'd be ashamed if she looked tougher than me, but who am I kidding? She was akin to a seven-year-old, in all honesty.

"Perfect."

Later that afternoon, we entered the local gas station. "Here, Cat," Jade said, pulling a couple dimes and quarters out of her pocket. "Go get yourself some candy or something." I watched as the little girl's face lit up as she took the money. In no time, she had scurried to another part of the store.

Then I watched as Jade grabbed a bottle of alcohol and promptly concealed it in her black, leather jacket, and then I realized why she had sent Cat off. The kid absolutely hated when Jade or anyone broke the law. She was the only one of us who had never committed a crime, not even a small one. But we had learned how to easily hide our deeds from her.

After all, it was a way of life for us. If you're a greaser, you're a thief, and an underage drinker, and a smoker, and a fighter. You're a troublemaker in general. Not Cat, though. She was one of us, but you wouldn't catch her with a cigarette or a bottle touching her lips, and there was nothing she hated more than fights.

"Can I get this?" Cat questioned, looking up at Jade with saucer eyes when she got back. In her little palms a handful of wrapped caramels and a box of gumdrops.

"Why not?" Jade shrugged. "Go pay for 'em, okay?"

"Kay, kay!"

"Let's go," the older girl urged me to follow her as she turned to leave. We waited ten minutes outside the building before Cat finally reappeared.

"What took you so long?" I asked, trying to hide the edge in my voice. It was still unbelievably hot outside.

"I dropped one of the coins and it went somewhere under the cash register, so I had to fi-" Before she could finish, Jade shushed her and took a swig of her Jack Daniels. "Hey! Where'd you get that?" Cat pointed at it with a look of confusion.

"I found it sitting out here." It was no wonder Cat didn't bother to interrogate any longer. "Hey, look at them blonde bimbos over there," Jade said, gesturing to the twosome headed towards us. It was obvious they were Soc cheerleaders. I noticed my friend fidget a little, clearly wanting to start something.

"Jade…" I tried nervously, praying she wouldn't do anything. With none of the boys here, there was nothing I could do to stop her if she got feisty. Surprisingly, though, they made the first jab.

"Look, a bunch of low-class greaser girls," one of them sneered. "You girls ever brush your hair?" Jade only chuckled in response.

"Oh, that was a good one. How about them short skirts? Little slutty, aren't we?"

"Better watch it, sweetie," the same girl warned while the other stood there amused.

"Better stop right there, _bitch_," Jade growled.

"Hey, Jenny," the girl's friend called. "Isn't that the little girl we taught a lesson to the other day?" She was referring to Cat, and then _I _was getting angry.

"So it is," Jenny confirmed, looking evilly at Cat. "Remember us?" The redhead whimpered and I held her close, wishing I could shield her more. Suddenly our older friend went to advance on the blonde.

"Jade, wait," I pleaded, attempting to hold her back. It was no use. She completely ignored me and stomped right up to the preppy girl, who stood with arms crossed, ready to rumble. I realized that it was only fair that Jade get even with this girl after what had been done to poor Cat.

"Oh, you wanna fight, hon?"

"Sure," Jade nodded with a grin. The Soc girl went to grab Jade's hair, but our experienced pal was too quick, catching her arm and holding it tight. Soon enough, Jade was holding her arm behind her back while Jenny cried out in agony. But somehow Jenny freed herself and swiftly punched Jade's nose.

Cat and I watched as Jade looked to the ground, wiping her now bloody face with the back of her hand. She slowly peered back up at the girl, and in a flash, she had her switchblade whipped out. Jenny's jaw dropped in terror and she backed up, only to have the Goth girl slowly walk up to her. The Soc kept reversing until she was against her car. Jade's eyes were filled with fury and I knew she wouldn't second guess stabbing that girl right then and there.

"Jade!" Cat screamed out of the blue, causing everyone to look at her. Jade turned around with a questioning look. "Jade, stop! Please!" The tall girl closed her eyes, irritated, but she flicked her blade back in and put it away. She slowly turned towards Jenny.

"Get lost," she demanded. Regaining her composure, Jenny gave a dirty look and then stalked off towards the store with her friend.

"Come on, Jade," I coaxed. "We ought to go home now." But Jade only smirked and went to the girl's expensive car.

"What are you doing?" Cat asked innocently. Jade still didn't answer, though. She pulled her blade out again and proceeded to cut holes in each tire. "Why'd you do that?" Cat pried, looking kind of upset.

"I got revenge," the tall girl stated. "Just like I promised I would." She looked back to the car and admired her devilish work. "Good thing they're all trust fund babies, 'cause that'll cost 'em quite a bit."

**A/N: Hope you liked it. Just in case you were wondering, the setting and scenery is the same as the book. Please review!**

**Twitter: (at symbol)lizziehorne13  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five **

"I can't believe you, Jade," Switch yelled. "I just can't believe you!"

"Oh, come on, Switch," Jade spoke back. "I just slashed their tires, that's all. I've done it plenty of times before."

"Damn it, Jade!" The tan boy pinched the bridge of his nose. "That's different, you know?"

"How?"

"Well, for one, you made it pretty obvious doing it right outside where they were, so you're their first guess. And you had Cat and Tori with you!"

"What are the dumb Socs gonna do? Go to the cops? Jade scoffed.

"Maybe," Switch pressed. Socs do that sometimes, when they're desperate. "Or they might come after you for revenge."

"I dare them."

"Not just you, Jade. Cat and Tori too," our oldest friend explained, and suddenly my heart dropped at the thought.

"I just wanted to teach 'em a lesson," the pale teenager muttered.

"I know, kid," Switch told her softly and placed a hand on her shoulder reassuringly. "And I'm all for getting payback for what they did, but you gotta be more careful. Got it?"

"Whatever." She stiffened again, and there was an awkward silence between all of us. It was always like that after Jade was lectured. But we all knew Switch only wanted to protect us. He didn't want any of us to end up in jail for good, although Jade was bound to with her rebellious behavior. Whenever she was hauled in, all Switch could do was sigh and remind me and Cat how disappointing it is so we didn't make the same mistakes.

"Aye, Lil' Red," 'Dre finally broke the silence when Cat appeared. She seemed upset and I only had one guess why.

"What's wrong, kiddo?" Robbie asked.

"Your mom again, huh?" guessed Switch.

"Yeah…" She stared at the ground sullenly. Switch stepped closer and bent down to her level.

"You okay?"

"Uh huh," the redhead answered, nodding bravely.

"Cat," the adult spoke firmly.

"I'm alright, Switch," she insisted. "Honest."

"I'll take your word for it, I suppose," he gave in lightheartedly. "Whatdya say we go get a pop?"

"Kay, kay!" the redhead agreed, perking up quite a bit.

"Let's go, then," Switch said, and suddenly scooped the child up and threw her over his shoulder, heading to his pickup truck.

**A/N: Please review. Thanks for all the support! :) **


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

I always wondered why the Socs couldn't just stay on their side of town. I mean, we stayed on ours… most of the time. We never got physical with them unless it was necessary or for a rumble. I guess they just thought they were so much better than us, with their fancy cars and all. The sad thing is they didn't have what we had – family.

"Switch, tell us about when you were in high school," Cat pleaded, resting her head on the tan boy's knee while we sat in his cozy living room.

"Again?" he laughed.

"Yeah."

"Well, let's see," he began, taking the redhead and placing her on his lap. "What do you want to know?"

"Tell us about your football team; the game between you and the Panthers!" she piped.

"Alright," he complied. "It was the fourth quarter, three minutes left…"

Beckett James Oliver was born into a middle-class family as an only child in this very same town. His dad was an executive at a local company while his mom was a housewife. He went to high school like any normal kid and earned straight A's, and he was even the quarterback of his high ranked football team. He was also technically a Soc, but you would never guess it.

His perfect life took a turn for the worse, though, when at age eighteen he received news of his parents' death in a car wreck. His parents' money went to distant relatives as a result of a proper will never having been written, and Beck was completely forgotten. He turned down the athletic scholarship he was offered and had to quickly adjust to a new lifestyle in which he no longer had everything at his fingertips.

Eventually, he earned enough money from his job roofing houses to go to college and climb back up the ladder to be in the middle-class or even higher. But instead, he willingly stayed behind with us after we met on the streets. And we're all grateful for that.

"'Dre, why did you drop out of school?" I asked curiously while Cat relished in Switch's stories.

"'Cause I'm dumb."

"Hey," Switch called. "Don't say that, kid. You aren't dumb."

"Yeah huh," 'Dre insisted. "I had, like, straight F's on every grade card, 'cept for physical education and auto mechanics."

"How about you, Jade?" Robbie entered the conversation.

"I got expelled, 'member?" she answered nonchalantly.

"What's that mean?" Cat inquired, clueless.

"Means they shoved me out the door and told me to never come back." We all grinned imagining it, except for Cat who sat with a puzzled look on her face.

You see, Switch was the only of us who got a full twelve year education. Robbie and Jade were both expelled and didn't bother trying again. 'Dre dropped out in eighth grade, and I quit during ninth. Cat got the least time of us all. She finished out elementary school, and she actually enjoyed it quite a bit. But when junior high came along, well, it was all too much of a rush for her. God knows we all tried to get her to continue, especially Switch. Even after Cat officially dropped school, I could tell he was still worried. The redhead was the most vulnerable and without us, he was sure she wouldn't make it on her own.

**A/N: Sorry for the wait! I'll only be able to update on weekends from now on until I bring my math grade up. Algebra is of the devil, I swear. -_-**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

I felt the alcohol give my throat a burning sensation as I took a swig from the freshly opened bottle. I sat back against the fence and watched as Robbie and Jade were having a playful argument with a dozen witty remarks going back and forth. Switch smirked in amusement and lit up a cigarette. Needless to say, this was the way things were when everything was okay.

"Yo! Guys!" we heard 'Dre's voice from a distance and turned to see him walking towards us. On his hip was Cat, whose head was resting on his broad shoulder. "Come here!"

"What happened?" Jade asked. "What's wrong with her?"

"I found her in her house on the floor," the African-American boy explained. "I wasn't sure if she was asleep or not…"

"Why?" Robbie asked curiously. The answer was 'Dre laying Cat down gently in the grass and rolling up her dirty sleeve.

"Look." Our eyes widened in utter horror. There was a pink welt all across Cat's left forearm.

"What the hell…" Switch whispered.

"That's not all," 'Dre said, and brushed some of the girl's tangled, fiery hair away to show a bruise on her temple.

"The fuck happened to her?!" Jade exclaimed. Switch peered closely at Cat's arm.

"Looks like it's from a belt," he concluded. Suddenly, we were startled by Cat's awakening. The child yawned and fluttered her eyes open innocently.

"Hi." We stared disbelievingly as she appeared to be perfectly fine mentally.

"Cat," I breathed. "Are… are you…"

"Are you okay?" Jade finished for me.

"Yeah," she replied. "Why?" 'Dre lifted her arm to her view, and all too quickly she wasn't so okay anymore. Her eyes got misty and even her cheeks grew rosy as if she was embarrassed.

"Cat," Switch began gently. "You need to tell me what happened." But the girl only burst into tears. "Cat, please," the man pleaded.

"M-mom…" the redhead mumbled through tears.

"Your mom?" Robbie looked for confirmation. Cat looked up at him and nodded. While everyone else soaked in the information, Jade had had it. She was mad.

"Oh, that bitch," she said. "She's gonna get it now." I watched as she pulled her impressive six-inch blade out and started for the dirt road on foot. 'Dre, however, was there in a second to stop her. Jade was a strong girl, but the teenage boy held her firmly.

"Jade, stop," Switch demanded. "Don't be stupid, kid. That's not neccesary."

"Hell yes, it is! That cunt has done enough to Cat!" She went to release herself from her friend's grip, but failed again.

"Look," Switch spoke softly, standing in front of the pale girl. "I'm gonna fix this."

"How?" Jade countered. "How the hell are you going to _fix_ that kid?!" She pointed directly at Cat, who was currently being soothed by Robbie.

"I…" The fluffy-haired boy seemed conflicted. "I-I can get her into my custody. I can go to court." It dawned on me that all along that had been possible. Switch was most definitely of age and with Ms. Valentine's history with child services, certainly Switch could convince a judge to let him have Cat.

"You better, Oliver," Jade spat, clearly still angry, after 'Dre finally let go of her.

"Hey," Switch confronted her. "You need to calm down, got it?"

"Whatever." She went to hug Cat, who was beginning to feel a bit better in the presence of her mates.

**A/N: I know, I know. I keep giving Cat a rough time, but that's just how it is. Forget the author's note from the last chapter when I said I can only update on weekends; I have a C in math and can now have computer privileges during the week! Oh, and don't worry, the climax is coming soon. I promise! :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Things were fine. Switch put on his best (and only) suit the day he went to the courtroom. Ms. Valentine was there, too, in her one of her short dresses and a face with pounds of makeup covering it. 'Dre, Cat, and I were there sitting in the back listening while the case went to straight to our mature, intelligent friend. Finally, our redhead was put into Switch's custody for good. Only problem was, Switch was quite the busy man during most of the day while he worked, and someone needed to look after Cat.

"Sure, I'll take her to a movie or something," I agreed to Switch's request one sunny afternoon.

"Great," he smiled. "I'll have gotten home around eight. Have her home by nine."

"I will," I nodded and took Cat's hand in mine and we strolled down the gravel road. "What movie you wanna see, kid?"

"I dunno," she mumbled. "Can I get a soda?" Her eyes were pleading and mine were unsure.

"I guess so," I concluded after digging in my jeans pockets and finding some extra change.

The movie was long, and it was well after Cat's curfew when we stepped out of the theatre. Luckily, I hadn't given her excess sugar so Switch wouldn't have a hard time getting her to bed. She held onto my arm tightly as we made our way through town; darkness scared her.

Once we were in the lot, which was a few minutes' walk to Switch's house, noises were heard, and I began to get a little nervous. I couldn't see but a couple feet into the distance, though.

"Hey, girls," a drawled voice shouted from nowhere. Without warning, three teenagers – Socs – appeared in front of us. I immediately began searching for my switchblade. I knew I had taken it with me because I knew we would be out late. I couldn't find it, and my heart beat furiously.

I grabbed my friend and took the chance to run for it, but one boy stopped me and held me in his strong arms, while Cat hit the ground. "Stop!" I demanded, struggling with all I had. I was terrified; what could I do?

The Socs ignored my pleas and one threw me to the ground. I looked to where Cat had fallen, but the girl was no longer there. I stared into my attacker's eyes once he had pinned me down while the others stood and watched in a disgustingly amused way. It took me one second to realize he was drunk. And there's nothing worse than a boozed up Soc boy when you're a girl like me or Cat.

"Please," I begged, humbling myself in hopes of getting through to his sober mind.

"Don't worry, baby," he cooed. "It'll all be over soon." I screamed when he lowered his gaze and hands to my belt buckle, and he quickly clamped his hand over my mouth. "Don't scream." I began to cry as I realized I couldn't do anything. Cat was gone for all I knew.

Right as he was about to slide my jeans off with one hand, his other hand released my mouth, and soon his whole body went limp and fell off me. I heard two gasps, and his pals were out of sight. I sat up, still shaking in fear, and looked up. Cat was standing in front of me, a blade in her hand, her mouth agape. It dawned on me that the switchblade was mine, and it was bloody. Very bloody.

"C-Cat?" I called.

"I killed that boy, Tori," she stated emotionlessly. My pounding heart dropped.

"W-what?"

"H-he was going to hurt you, Tori!" she cried. "I-I was scared!"

"Shh," I whispered, standing up and hugging her. I needed someone to hug me, too. "It's okay."

"Tori, the cops are going to put me in jail, aren't they?" she asked. "I don't wanna go to jail!"

"You're not going to," I assured only to make her feel better. "Come on." I pulled her along to Switch's house.

We were breathless by the time we made it. I led Cat to the porch and steadied her. "Stay here, alright?" She nodded and looked down shamefully. I sighed and went up the steps to the door. I took one deep breath before barging into the house to find Switch sitting all alone. He instantly stood up, and believe me, he didn't look happy.

"Where the hell have you been?!"

"Switch, listen-" I tried.

"Do you know what time it is?!" he yelled. "I've been worried sick! Where's Cat?"

"Switch!" I screamed. "Shut up, won't you?"

"Don't tell me to shut up, kid!" He quickly lost his temper and I couldn't speak anymore for some reason. He gripped his own head angrily as he grumbled on. "I can't believe you! Are you stupid or something? I said nine and I meant it!" Tears filled my eyes at his harsh words and I turned and ran out the door again.

"Come on, Cat," I urged, tugging her along fast. I could hear Switch call my name apologetically from his doorstep, but soon we were where he couldn't see us, and that's how I wanted it to be for that moment.

"Where are we gonna go, Tori?" the little girl spoke her first words in a while. I looked down at her with my own cloudy eyes.

"To Jade."

**A/N: And we have reached the main conflict, my friends! Review, if you please. :) **


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

My hand trembled as I lifted it to knock on the door of the local bar where Jade hung out a lot. Music was blasting through the windows and I prayed that someone could hear me. A minute later, the door swung open to reveal a young lady about Jade's age. "What do you kids want?" she asked, glancing over us skeptically. Her breath reeked of alcohol.

"Is… is Jade there?" I stammered.

"She's busy," the girl told us shortly, chewing on gum.

"Please," I begged. "Just… just tell her it's Tori and Cat. She'll come." She glared at me a moment and shut the door. "Come on," I said, dragging Cat over to the window. We saw the same girl coming back to the door with a lousy looking Jade following. I sighed in relief.

"What are y'all here for?" our older friend asked, leaning on the door and rubbing her eyes tiredly. I guessed she had been sleeping.

"Jade, Cat killed a Soc," I choked out. Her face became confused, and then she understood.

"Come in," she urged, ushering us into the loud, crowded saloon. I looked around and felt as if I would pass out from anxiety. Jade grabbed my arm when I almost fell into a skanky girl with a beer bottle pressed to her lips.

We climbed up the stairs to the upper room where Jade's jacket was thrown on the small bed. She looked at Cat, who was shivering in her tank top, and grabbed the leather garment. "Jesus Christ, kid," she said, and threw it at Cat. "You're gonna get pneumonia before any cops show up." Cat just sniffled and wrapped herself in it. "Hey," the Goth girl whispered, bending down to the redhead's level. "It's gonna be okay. Sit down and rest a while, won't you?" Cat obeyed and sat on the bed silently crying.

"W-what are we gonna do, Jade?" I whispered frantically to Jade when she came over to me.

"Listen, Vega," she commanded. "You and Cat are gonna take the 3:15 train to Windrexville. It's a freight." I nodded. "There's an abandoned church on top of Jay Mountain," she continued, sticking a cigarette in her mouth and promptly lighting it. "There's a pump in the back, so you won't have to worry about water."

"What about food?" I asked. She searched her pockets and pulled out a couple bills and handed them to me.

"Here's fifty. Get a week's supply of food early tomorrow morning… before the story gets out. And then don't so much as stick your nose out the door, you hear?" I nodded, gulping hard and trying to keep the tears at bay. "I'll be up there as soon as I think everything's clear." She patted my shoulder and glanced at Cat, then turned back to me. "You take of her, okay?"

"I-I will," I complied. "What about Switch?" Her eyes became troubled.

"Well, I guess I'll have to tell him, now won't I?" she said, and I sulked. "Hey, don't worry, kid. Y'all are gonna be just fine. Now come on, it's time to go." She got Cat to rise and engulfed us both in a hug.

"Jadey, I'm scared," Cat whimpered into her shoulder.

"Don't be," the raven-haired girl spoke softly, stroking the small girl's hair. "Tori's gonna keep you safe, and I'll see you soon."

Jade led us downstairs again and sent us out the door after wishing us one last "good luck." I took Cat's hand in mine and we started out on our journey to God knows where.

**A/N: Well, look at that! I updated within a day! Thank da Lawd! :P**

**Twitter: (at symbol)lizziehorne13 or go to my profile on here to see the link. **


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

I never really believed in God much, but I was sure he was the one who got me and Cat on that freight train safely. Despite how petrified I was after all that had happened that night, I had to keep my thoughts straight and get us to that hiding place.

Cat wasn't talking much, and I didn't blame her one bit. Poor kid, she had never harmed anything in her life, and here she was: a murderer by accident. Not that I paid much attention back in school, but I remembered learning in history class about government and such. Everyone gets a trial, I learned. That means Cat would get one too, and what judge would put such a sweet child like her in prison?

We were on that freight for a couple hours. Cat had several fits and I held her tight the way Jade or Switch would, but I wanted someone to hold me, too. We slept a little, and finally we arrived in Windrexville before the sun came up.

When I saw that the train station was deserted except for some workers, we hopped off without being noticed and hurried out. I made sure to stop at the small convenience store to buy some lasting food. Then we headed out for Jay Mountain.

The little church we eventually found was rundown and had clearly been long abandoned, but it would work for us two runaways; it had to. I dragged a tired Cat inside and helped her settle on an old, sturdy pew, buttoning up Jade's jacket to keep her as warm as possible. And, boy, did I wish Jade would come soon. Now all we could do was wait.

**A/N: Don't say it. I know it's short. And I promise I'll be updating either tomorrow or Sunday, but hopefully tomorrow because I already have Chapter Eleven half written. On a napkin. Lmao. So, yeah. See you then!  
**

**Twitter: (at symbol)lizziehorne13 or go to my profile for the link!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

I woke with a start the next morning right out of a nightmare. I looked around, taking in my surroundings and trying to recall where I was and why I was there.

Then I remembered.

I became aware of Cat, who was practically on top of me. She must've gotten cold and that thin little jacket just wasn't enough. I hoped Jade would bring a blanket or something. Cat immediately stirred when I shifted slightly, and I felt awful for having awakened her.

"Sorry."

"It's okay," she whispered. "Is Jade here yet?" She obviously hadn't forgotten anything.

"No," I shook my head. "She'll come soon."

"How long we gotta stay here, Tori?"

"Until it's safe to leave."

"When's it gonna be safe?" she pressed on.

"I dunno," I answered honestly. No use in telling tales.

But Jade drove up four days later in her old car. Me and Cat about had a heart attack when that horn honked. My first thought was to hide or run, as I didn't know who was outside. Then Jade came in and found us.

"How's my favorite pair of criminals?" she greeted jokingly. I let a smile creep up on my dirty face and Cat was beyond happy.

"Jadey, I missed you!" she squealed and Jade caught the little girl in her arms , kissing the side of her head.

"I missed you, too, kid," she laughed.

"Can we go home now?" Cat asked expectantly once she was on the floor again. "I miss everyone."

"They miss you too, baby girl," the raven-haired girl said, patting Cat's head. "But you can't go home just yet." Cat's smile quickly turned in a pout. "Here, though," Jade continued. "I got you some old books I found." She reached into her bag and pulled out some flimsy picture books, handing them to the Cat. "Why don't you go over there and read 'em?" The redhead obeyed and headed for a corner to enjoy her gifts. "Vega." I was snapped out of my gaze on Cat at Jade's tone. It was much more serious.

"Yeah?"

"How is everything?" she asked, her voice full of concern.

"We're getting along fine. I got some food and-"

"No," the older girl cut me off. "I mean how are you feeling, both of you?"

"Cat's fine and I am too," I assured. "I'm just… worried, I guess."

"The police were all over the scene the morning you left," Jade explained matter-of-factly. "Switch is worried sick about y'all, and the cops hauled me in for questioning. You're lucky I can keep my mouth shut good, Tori Vega."

"No one knows?" I asked, and she nodded. "Maybe we oughta turn ourselves in."

"No," the pale girl said shortly. "You can't. That's too dangerous."

"We can't stay here forever, Jade."

"I know," she admitted. "We're just gonna have to figure it all out. But as for now, there's a diner about ten minutes from here. Who's hungry?"

**A/N: Please review. I love reviews. They make me smile. I like smiling. :)****  
**

**Twitter: (at symbol)lizziehorne13 or go to my profile for the link! **


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

Jade always did like to drive fast. I loved riding at top speeds too, but sitting in her car while she drove at least thirty above the speed limit made me nauseous that one time. It was probably because it had been so long since I had been in a car. I looked at Cat in the backseat. She must have felt the same.

We stopped at a diner and I ordered two of the biggest hamburgers they had. Even little Cat was so hungry she wolfed down a whole burger and two servings of fries. Jade sat watching us, clearly amused. "Surely y'all had food up there to eat?" she questioned.

"We did," I nodded. "But cheese and bread gets boring after a while, you know." I watched the Goth girl steal a glance at Cat, who was slowly sipping from her Coca Cola bottle, oblivious to both of us. "So what now, Jade?" She set her beer down and folded her arms on the table, looking at me seriously.

"Y'all are just gonna have to make do up in that church for a little longer. I'll resupply you with food and stuff. Maybe they'll catch some guy and charge him. Who knows?"

"The Socs saw us, though," I added.

"It'll be okay," she said forcefully, looking at Cat out of the corner of her eye. I got the hint and nodded, staring down at my deserted plate. "We better get going," Jade spoke after a minute. We slid out of the booth and, without warning, Cat threw her arms around Jade's waist. "Hey, hey," Jade whispered, smoothing Cat's messy hair down. "What's wrong, baby girl?"

"I'm scared, Jadey," she whimpered. The older girl looked up at me. It was the first time I ever saw that kind of helpless look in her icy blue eyes.

"You're fine, Cat," she soothed. "Nothing's gonna hurt you. You're safe." After Cat had settled, we dragged her to the car and drove back up the mountain.

I remember the flames. Their reddish-orange color dominated the white paint of the little church we had for some time called our home. All I heard was Jade slowly telling us to stay put, and I bet she was about to reverse right out and leave it behind, but Cat was out of the car two seconds later.

"Cat!" Jade screamed. "Get your tail back in here! You looking to get killed?" The building didn't look too stable anymore and Cat was too close to it for comfort.

"Jadey, my giraffe is in there!" the redhead cried.

"I'll get you a new one," our older friend promised hastily. "Now get in the damn car!" Cat didn't listen; she ran towards the church, ignoring Jade's calls. Jade and I got out of the car at the same time, but she shoved me right back in. "I'm not looking to lose you either, Vega. Stay in there!"

All I could do was watch the raven-haired girl chase after Cat. The redhead had gone right up to the front of the church and luckily hesitated for a moment. But she went in anyway, the crazy child, followed by Jade, who didn't show any signs of reluctance.

I don't how long it was – five minutes, ten minutes, twenty. The fire truck and ambulance had gotten there momentarily after they had gone in. I was in too much shock to notice the bystanders who happened upon the incident and called 911.

But eventually Jade and Cat did come out, both covered in ash. But the redhead was obviously unconscious in Jade's arms, and Jade looked close to becoming the same; she made it halfway to where I was and collapsed. Mr. Longneck, Cat's beloved stuffed animal, fell out of Cat's arms and onto the ground.

Still numb, I watched as both were loaded into the ambulance before passing out myself.

**A/N: It's been a while, but I'm still alive! I'm terribly sorry for the eternal wait; school's just really not fun, especially Pre-Algebra. I'm trying to at least finish this story up, though. Bear with me, please. :) **


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen **

I never liked hospitals much. They made me feel icky and they stressed me out to no end. I had only been in one about twice in my lifetime, though. I slid my back down the wall and sat hugging my knees and slightly rocking back and forth. Oh, how I wished I was at the movie theatre.

I hadn't seen anyone but 'Dre since we left the church, although I had a blurry memory of being in the ambulance with a paramedic. 'Dre was the only one I called; I was too afraid of Switch & Robbie yelling at me. But 'Dre was just as shocked and numb as I was, and all he did was sit and hold me while we both waited. Waited, and waited, and waited.

"Tori!" I heard a familiar voice holler and I looked down the hall to see Switch dashing towards us, with Robbie close behind. He immediately pulled me up by my arm and wrapped me in a death grip. I practically went limp in his arms and let him embrace me. He finally relinquished and held me at arm's length. "Oh, God. Are you alright?" he questioned. I nodded, my eyes gazing off the side.

'Dre stepped up and told Switch all he knew about the situation. Switch's eyes watered.

"I'm sorry, Switch, I'm sorry!" I finally sputtered. "I'm so sorry… I shouldn't have run. I'm sorry, Switch!" I continued to sob and he hugged me again, my tears soaking his shirt. That's when the nurse came out and informed us that we could go see Jade.

We all walked one behind the other into the small, white room. Our friend was lying on her back screaming at the top of her lungs. "Get me a beer, will ya!?" She then turned to us and smirked.

"Hey, kid," she addressed me. "Looks like you got off the luckiest, huh?"

I smiled awkwardly. The nurse came in sighing in distress as she slammed a cup of water down by Jade's bed. "What the fuck is this?" Jade demanded. "I said I wanted a damn beer!"

"You're not permitted to have beer now, Ms. West," the nurse replied, seeming to muster up all her courage to deny the tough girl what she wanted. I pitied her.

"It's fine," Switch told the lady kindly. "She'll survive on water." The nurse nodded and left quickly.

"Gee, thanks," Jade remarked sarcastically. Sitting up, she began fiddling around with the sling on her arm. "Goddammit, this stupid thing."

"How ya holding up, tiger?" 'Dre asked.

"Shut up!" Jade snapped. "Take me to Cat. Now."

"I don't think we can," Robbie said.

"Fine," the injured girl replied. "I'll go by myself."

And with that she eased herself out of the bed and limped to the door, pushing Switch away when he tried to stop her. We trailed behind her and into Cat's room. The redhead was sleeping like an angel, but she looked even worse than Jade. Her arm was broken and there was some sort of cast wrapped around her midsection. It made me lose my breath for a moment.

I looked to Jade, who had the saddest expression on her face, as if _she_ had just snapped Cat's arm. She approached Cat slowly and sat in the chair beside the bed. "B-baby girl?"

Cat stirred almost instantly and smiled the same old broken smile she used to have when she lived with her mother. "I had a dream," she whispered.

The corner of Jade's mouth turned up a bit. "What about?"

"It was about you, Jadey. But it was very sad. You almost died."

It was then that I felt Switch grab my hand and squeeze it tightly. "Well, I'm fine, baby," Jade assured Cat, stroking her bruised face. "I'm fine."

Cat turned her attention to the rest of us and greeted us accordingly. "Switch, I don't like the people here. They don't give me candy."

"Aw, little red, you'll be okay," Switch stepped forward and held her hand. "You'll get plenty of candy when you're outta here." Cat grinned wildly.

"Um, excuse me," a voice came from being us. It was the nurse standing in the doorway. "Maybe I talk to Mr. Oliver?"

Switch followed the lady out of the room as I peered out the window to eavesdrop."What is it, ma'am?"

"Caterina…" she began. "She, um, the fracture in her spine – it's fatal."

"W-what do you mean?" Switch asked.

"Fatal means deadly, sir."

"I know what fatal means," he responded a defensively. "You're saying she might not make it?"

"I'm just saying that… you need to make the most of the present, Mr. Oliver."

Switch sighed and ran his fingers through his mane of hair. The nurse removed herself from his presence and continued down the hallway.

I closed my eyes and tried to imagine another place to be.

**A/N: I don't even know _how_ to apologize this time. It's beenmonths, I know, and I feel horrible for not even attempting to update. I'm not even sure if the original followers of this story will end up reading this at all. But if you haven't given up on me yet, thank you. :)**


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